GOP hopefuls debate for 80th District seat

Tuesday

Jul 15, 2014 at 10:45 PMJul 15, 2014 at 10:45 PM

By Andrea.Goodell@HollandSentinel.com(616) 546-4275

Four candidates vying for the open 80th State House District took to the stage to answer constituent questions at the League of Women Voters forum Tuesday evening.The 80th District seat is being vacated by Rep. Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck, under term limits.Republicans Randy Brink of Saugatuck, Cindy Gamrat of Plainwell, Stephen Schulz of Allegan and Mary Whiteford of South Haven will run off in the primary and spoke Tuesday. The winner will face Democrat Geoff Parker of Otsego in November.Michigan has a wide spectrum of education options — from public to private to charter to homeschooling — but charter schools and their oversight have received scrutiny lately.“I believe in the free market of education choices and options,” Gamrat, who homeschooled her children, said Tuesday.She added charter schools in the state could use more oversight, but she would fight against it for homeschoolers.“All public money going to schools needs to have oversight by the Legislature,” Whiteford said. “Charter schools need to have same transparency and responsibility as public schools.”Those who homeschool their children, she added, should have no regulations.Schulz said he is a strong advocate for public schools. Brink favors charter schools.Most of the candidates said they would not support Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposal to include gender identification and sexual orientation in the Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act, but said discrimination of any kind was unacceptable. Brink again railed against more regulations of any kind.Energy independence came up more than once Tuesday evening. Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” leases are on the rise in Allegan County.Vertical fracking, where a well is drilled straight down, has been done in Michigan for years without pollution issues, Schulz said. But as far as horizontal fracking is concerned, he said, “I don't think we really have the science to say that is going to be safe.”Gamrat called fracking safer and cleaner than coal, but said penalties for pollution should be stiff. Whiteford called for more research. Brink was the sole dissenter.“I'm against fracking. I hear all the good that it does, but you don't hear about all the pollution,” he said. “I don't want to see it polluted for them drilling.”Within a couple of days, a video of the event will be posted to the League’s website, LWVHolland.org.The League of Women Voters also sponsors Vote411.org, which allows visitors to register to vote, search voting topics and find personalized ballot information based on address.The next League forum will be July 30 at Olive Township Hall, 6480 136th Ave. Candidates for the 89th State House District, incumbent Rep. Amanda Price, R-Park Township, and challenger Matt Wiedenhoeft are slated to attend.— Follow this reporter on Facebook and on Twitter, @SentinelAndrea.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.